Adjustable rotary table



Jan. l0, 1950 .1. N. HARDY ADJUSTABLE ROTARY TABLE Filed Feb. 5, 1948 'antifa INVENToR. JOHN N. HARDY vBY @2f/. ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Roto-Cast Foundry Equipment, Inc.,

Coldwater,

Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 5, 1948, Serial No.l 6,465

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in a gathering table which is particularly but not exclusively adapted for use in the printing industry.

Tables of the class of the present invention are commonly used in a variety of industries to facilitate work operations by providing a rotating work supporting top and a suitable indexing mechanism for carrying work from one work position to another. One use of the present table is in the gathering and sorting of printed material into folios and then into books, permitting each operation to be performed at a particular location, thereby lowering costs and increasing production by minimizing carrying and handling of the work, and at the same time greatly reducing Worker fatigue.

Prior to the present invention, such tables have been relatively heavy and cumbersome and have occupied a large amount of iioor space when the table is not in use. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a simplied, sturdy, lightweight gathering table construction.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a gathering table having a horizontal work holding top rotatably mounted on a central upright supporting beam and including an improved lightweight adjustable bearing and supporting structure adapted to hold the rotatable top in its normal operating position regardless of unbalanced work loads thereon and to permit minor adjustments for leveling the table top.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view from the top and one side of a gathering table embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical mid-section taken in the direction of the arrows substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section through the central beam taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plane view of the table in the folded position, showing the hinged edged portions in the unfolded operating position in phantom.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

A particular embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of example in the drawings. The plane circular work holding table top, preferably comprised of sturdy lightweight plywood, includes the rectangular portion I0 and the four hinged segmental edge portions I2 secured to the rectangular portion I Il by the hinges I4. Various means may be employed to support the hinged edge portions I2 in their operative unfolded position, Figs. 1 and 2. The simple and adequate support showncomprises four arms I6, each pivotally secured to the underside of the rectangular portion IIJ by a bolt I8 so as to un` derlie one of each of the edge portions I2 in the unfolded position. Upon pivoting each supporting arm I6 approximately 90 from the position shown in Fig. 2, the edge portions I2 may be dropped downward and out of the way about the hinge connections I4 when the table is not in use, Fig. 4.

The Weight of the rotating table structure andV any load thereon is carried by the centrally located tubular load supporting upright beam 20. The rotatable cup bearing 22, comprising the hub of the table top is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the tube V2!! and is provided with the radial ange 23 secured to the underside of the top portion of the table by the plurality of bolts 24.

An improved lightweight means for bracing and holding the table top in its normal horizontal operating position even when non-uniformly loaded, comprises the essentially horizontal support ing plate 25, rotatable with the top and spaced below the latter` by the four symmetrically disposed rigid brackets 28, which are secured at their upper and lower ends to the diagonal portions of the rectangular portion I0 of the top and to the plate 26 respectively. The plate 26 provides the central oversize opening 30 to permit passage of the beam 20 and is adjustably secured to the bearing bracket 32 for rotation therewith. The latter provides the annular bearing surface 34 rotatable about the peripheral bearing surface of the bushing 36, which is press fitted coaxially around the tube 20.

Horizontal adjustment of the bearing bracket- 32 is permitted by the pair of dlametrically opposed radially extending adjusting slots 38 Within the bracket 32 and adapted for cooperating with one of each of the diametricaliy opposed pair of adjusting slots 40 provided by the plate 26 perpendicularly to the slots 38. A clamping bolt 42 extends through each pair of cooperating crossing adjusting slots 38-40 for clamping the plate 26 and bracket 32 securely together in their adjusted position. It is apparent from the structure shown that each clamping bolt 42 is bi-dimensionally adjustable along its two slots 38 and 46, permitting horizontal adjustment of the supporting plate 26 relative to the bearings 34 and 36, within the limits of movement permitted by the oversize central opening 30. Thus simple and effective means are provided to permit minor adjustment and leveling of the table top.

Another feature provided by the construction shown is the lightweight supporting structure for the lupright central beam 20 and comprises the four symmetrically disposed leg members 44, each extending from one end radially outward from the support 20 and curving downward to a door engaging portion at its other end. A horizontal supporting web 46 is provided between each pair of adjacent legs 44. A vertical supporting web 48 extends downward from each leg 44 to the shaft 20. The junctures 'between the legs e4, shaft 26, and the corresponding webs 46 and 43 are preferably welded to complete a lightweight rigid structure adequately adapted for supporting the rotating portions of the table and providing an assembled gathering table unit of approximately one-half the weight of competing gathering tables.

Various means for rotating and indexing the table may be suitably employed in accordance with particular requirements. The preferred construction as here shown ycomprises the rotating drive wheel 50 having its peripheral portion in friction contact with the underside of the suD- porting plate 26 for rotation thereof. The wheel 50 is keyed to the drive shaft 52, which is in driven engagement with the variable speed motor i 54 by means of the speed-reducing gear box 56, the gear box pulley 58, `the motor driven pulley 60, and the driving belt 6l operatively coupled between the pulleys 5S andSD. An angle iron frame Work 62 supports the driving mechanism and in turn is suitably suspended from portions of the legs 4!! bythe tie-bolts 64.

By. the foregoing, a sturdy, lightweight and simplied gathering Vtable has been disclosed, which provides drop leaf table edge portions, permitting storage in a minimum space; and which provides an improved adjustable bearing and supporting mechanism for the rotatable portion of the table, permitting a superior rigid table top support with a minimum of weight and at the same time readily permitting minor adjusting and leveling of the table top.

I claim:

1. In a rotary table assembly having a pedestal and a table supported and journaled thereon, leveling means comprising a supporting plate secured to the table and freely surrounding the pedestal below the table, a bearing bracket journaled on the pedestal below said supporting plate, said supporting plate and bearing bracket having cooperating crossing slots for adjusting the table relative to the pedestal, and clamping means adjustable bi-dimensionally along said cooperating adjusting slots provided for clamping said bracket and plate together in their adjusted position.

' 2. In a rotary gathering table having an up-Y right pedestal and a rotatable table supported in rotating relation thereon, a leveling assembly including an annular supporting plate below the table, connected to the table and rotatable therewith, said supporting plate freely surrounding the pedestal and being adapted to move in a horizontal plane relative to the pedestal, a'bearing bracket journaled on the pedestal adjacent said supporting plate, said supporting plate and bearing bracket having cooperating crossing slots for adjusting the table relative to the pedestal, and clamping means extending through said crossing slots and adapted for bi-dimensional adjustment therein for clamping said bracket and plate together in their adjusted position.

JOHN N. HARDY.

REFERENCES CI'rEn The following references are of record in the ille of this lpatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Evans Apr. 20, 1943 

